BBC and C4 eye UKTV stake

In a possible precursor to partnership, the BBC and Channel 4 have joined forces in negotiations to buy Virgin Media out of the UKTV joint venture, which owns channels including Gold and Dave.

The talks could see C4 join BBC Worldwide in the UKTV business by buying out Virgin Media’s stake. This would de facto create the BBCWW / C4 partnership envisaged by Ofcom to alleviate C4's lack of funds.